Taxpayer Dollars Funding Questionable Care
Jackson Health System and the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust have funneled over $40 million in taxpayer funds to Roxana Solano, a private assisted living facility owner whose properties face repeated state sanctions. Solano serves a dual role that experts identify as a primary conflict of interest: she manages patient placements for these public institutions while simultaneously steering a significant portion of those patients into her own chain of homes. Records indicate that more than one in four Jackson patients placed through Solano's services ended up in her own facilities, several of which state regulators closed or cited for severe safety violations.
State health records describe conditions at some of these facilities that include rodent infestations, neglected residents with untreated injuries, and staff failing to report incidents of sexual aggression. Despite these documented failures, Jackson Health signed a $31.5 million contract with Solano in 2022, a move made well after multiple state investigations had already tarnished her professional record. The Homeless Trust also relied on Solano during the COVID pandemic to house vulnerable, unhoused seniors, paying her millions while she acted as both the placement coordinator and the provider.
Ethical Lapses and Administrative Oversights
Independent experts argue that the arrangement between Solano and the two public entities is inherently flawed. Jess McDonald, former director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, noted that a single person managing both the care arrangement and the selection of providers without oversight is a major red flag. By allowing Solano to function as her own matchmaker, Jackson Health and the Homeless Trust effectively removed a necessary layer of protection for some of Florida’s most frail citizens.
Ron Book, chairman of the Homeless Trust, recently admitted in an interview that his agency failed to vet Solano as thoroughly as they should have. He expressed embarrassment regarding the lack of oversight but maintained that some of the facilities under her management, specifically Mia Casa, appear to provide adequate care. Still, the reality remains that for years, Jackson Health utilized Solano to handle hundreds of patient discharges to homes that were failing to meet basic legal and safety requirements.
The Pattern of Regulatory Citations
Solano’s business, Unlimited Senior Solutions, has placed hundreds of patients into homes that health inspectors repeatedly marked for closure. In one instance at the Tropical Heaven facility, inspectors found residents crowded into living spaces smaller than prison cells. At another facility, Villa Rosa I, staff failed to report alleged sexual abuse. Solano’s own properties, branded under the Villa Serena name, faced similar scrutiny, including an immediate moratorium on admissions after a resident vanished and was later found dehydrated and injured.
Internal Jackson Health documents show that the hospital’s monitoring of Solano was superficial. Quarterly performance evaluations consisted of just three criteria, none of which assessed the quality of patient care or compliance with state health standards. In every instance, the hospital simply marked Solano as meeting standards. Jackson officials now state they plan to reform their oversight by ensuring direct notification of any regulatory disruptions or complaints moving forward.
Broader Industry Consequences
This situation exposes a critical gap in how public institutions handle the discharge of elderly, indigent patients. When hospitals prioritize clearing beds over ensuring the safety of a placement, they place the most vulnerable population at risk of systemic neglect. The case of Roxana Solano demonstrates what happens when private interests are permitted to dominate a public safety net. As Jackson Health and the Homeless Trust prepare for future contract renewals, the focus is shifting toward how these institutions will restore public trust and prevent the recurrence of self-dealing.
Legislative bodies and health advocates are now watching to see if Miami-Dade will fundamentally change its placement protocols. The reliance on external contractors who own their own supply chain is no longer viewed as a cost-effective strategy but as a liability. Until stricter, independent auditing is implemented, the safety of hundreds of discharged seniors remains in question.